King/Drew tries to help City Section basketball get back on track

One by one, longtime City Section basketball observers have already concluded this season’s collection of teams is the weakest in years, if not ever.

King/Drew coach Lloyd Webster is asking for patience.

“We’re still recovering from COVID,” he said Monday after his team’s 66-51 win over Sylmar in an opening game of the Maranatha tournament. “We still have kids lacking basketball fundamentals. They play 80 games of travel ball and 28 of real basketball.”

King/Drew (1-1) will probably end up as a City Section Open Division title contender, as it usually does, but it has lots of young players. Freshman Semaj Howard scored 14 points against the Spartans. Sophomore Jayshawn Kibble had 20 points. For Sylmar, freshman Joseph Dickson scored 22 points.

King/Drew put together a powerful surge late in the game to pull away. Webster is confident his team will be much better by February and March. He just needs practice and game time to get his players to believe in each other. His 6-foot-4 sophomore son, Josahn, is a starter, and it’s an interesting dynamic.

“I’m trying to spend more time being dad than coach,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of fun watching him develop into the player I hope he will become.”

Crespi 53, Mayfair 49: With the game tied 46-46 and under three minutes left, the Celts (6-0) executed to perfection, getting threes from Shaun Kowlessar and Joe Sterling to pull out the win in the Maranatha tournament.

Peyton White scored 24 points, all in the first three quarters before getting into foul trouble. He also had 10 rebounds. Sterling added 14 points. Zackary Powell had 13 points for Mayfair.

South Pasadena 82, Bishop Alemany 76: Oni Balogun scored 23 points and Russell Williams had 21 for South Pasadena. Mike Lindsay led Alemany with 25 points.

Etiwanda 85, King 58: Amare Campbell finished with 27 points for 2-0 Etiwanda.

Bernstein 88, Mendez 43: Troy Agtang finished with 43 points, making 10 threes, and Greg Griffin had 21 points for Bernstein.

Royal 65, Shalhevet 55: Zane Mendelson had 15 points for Shalhevet.

Viewpoint 62, Milken 51: Aeneas Grullon had 24 points and 10 rebounds for Viewpoint.